Spooner knew that he understood hunting, whereas that
fellow Maule cared for nothing but jumping over flights of rails. He
asked a few questions that evening of Phineas Finn respecting Gerard
Maule, but did not get much information. "I don't know where he
lives;" said Phineas; "I never saw him till I met him here."

"Don't you think he seems sweet upon that girl?"

"I shouldn't wonder if he is."

"She's an uncommonly clean-built young woman, isn't she?" said Mr.
Spooner; "but it seems to me she don't care much for Master Maule.
Did you see how he was riding to-day?"

"I didn't see anything, Mr. Spooner."

"No, no; you didn't get away. I wish he'd been with you. But she went
uncommon well." After that he made his request to Lord Chiltern, and
Lord Chiltern, with a foresight quite unusual to him, predicted the
coming event to his wife.

There was shooting on the following day, and Gerard Maule and Mr.
Spooner were both out. Lunch was sent down to the covert side, and
the ladies walked down and joined the sportsmen. On this occasion Mr.
Spooner's assiduity was remarkable, and seemed to be accepted with
kindly grace. Adelaide even asked a question about Trumpeton Wood,
and expressed an opinion that her cousin was quite wrong because he
did not take the matter up. "You know it's the keepers do it all,"
said Mr. Spooner, shaking his head with an appearance of great
wisdom. "You never can have foxes unless you keep your keepers well
in hand. If they drew the Spoon Hall coverts blank I'd dismiss my man
the next day."

"It mightn't be his fault."

"He knows my mind, and he'll take care that there are foxes. They've
been at my stick covert three times this year, and put a brace out
each time. A leash went from it last Monday week. When a man really
means a thing, Miss Palliser, he can pretty nearly always do it."
Miss Palliser replied with a smile that she thought that to be true,
and Mr. Spooner was not slow at perceiving that this afforded good
encouragement to him in regard to that matter which was now weighing
most heavily upon his mind.

On the next day there was hunting again, and Phineas was mounted on a
horse more amenable to persuasion than old Dandolo. There was a fair
run in the morning, and both Phineas and Madame Max were carried
well. The remarkable event in the day, however, was the riding of
Dandolo in the afternoon by Lord Chiltern himself. He had determined
that the horse should go out, and had swor